Vibratory massage device



Jan. 6, 1953 c. J. MILLER VIBRATORY MASSAGE DEVICE Filed Oct. 15, 1951 IN V EN TOR.

'CAsPE/e TIM/1.1.59,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES rar mr OFFICE VIBRATORY MASSAGE DEVICE Casper J. Miller, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application October 13, 1951, Serial No. 251,189

'4 Claims.

The present invention relates to massaging devices, and more particularly to devices that perform a massaging action by vibration.

I An object of the present invention is to provide an improved vibratory massage device that can be moved readily over any desired portion of a person's body. i

Another object of the invention is to provide a vibratory massage device that can be applied and moved easily by a person over relatively inaccessible parts of such persons body.

- A further object of the invention is to provide a vibratory massage device embodying rubber, or rubber-like, rollers applicable to a persons' body to transmit vibrations thereto, and also to facilitate movement of the device along the persons body.

- Yetanother object of the invention is to "prof vide a vibratory massage device embodying rubber, or rubber-like, rollers applicable'to-a persons body to transmit vibrations thereto, in-

which the rollers are arranged in such manner as to enable the device to be moved in a stable fashion and appropriately guided along 'the' da sired portions of the body, without the necessity for directly holding the device in the hand.

This invention possesses many other advan tages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a considerationof;

a form in which it may be embodied. Thisform is shown in the drawings accompanying" and, forming part of the present specification. It will now be described in detail, for the purpose of illustrating the generalprinciples of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed r one of the rubber rollers and the roller support;-

- Fig. is an isometric projection, on a greatly reduced scale, of the device disclosed in Fig. 1 illustrating one mode of use with the device in a generally vertical position.

The apparatus disclosed in the drawings is a vibrating device for mechanically massaging a persons body, in order to sooth and relax the body parts to which the device may be applied.

It includes an outer housing or casing [0, consisting of a rearward portion ll having 'a male pin end l2 piloted within a companion female box I3 on a forward part I l. The ends of the forward and rearward portions H, il are preferably formed in convex or arch shaped fashion, and contain air inlet and outlet openings l6, l1 for the purpose of cooling an electric motor I8 secured within the housing ii].

The electric motor l8, which can be of any desired or conventional type, includes a stator frame [9 in which the rotor is suitably ro-' tatably mounted. Studs 2| extend longitudinally from the frame l9 and project through brackets 22 extending inwardly from the forward and rearward housing portions M, II, nuts 23 being threaded on the studs 2! and bearing against the brackets 22 for the purpose of appropriately supporting the motor l8 in the hous ing I0, and also to secure the housing portions II, It to one another, producing a functionally unitary whole.

Current is supplied to the motor l8 through suitable wiring 24 leading into the lower part of the rearward housing portion H. When the rotor 2t rotates, a fan 25 secured to the motor shaft 26 will drawair through the inlet openings [6 and force it through the motor l8 and out through the rear outlet openings ll, thereby cooling and maintaining the apparatus in a cool condition.

Theentire apparatus is mechanically vibrated by an eccentric or unbalanced weight 21 mounted on the forward endof the motor shaft 26 and suitably secured thereto, as through use of a set screw 28 threaded into the weight and bearing against the motor shaft. It is evident that during 'rotation of the motor, the revolving eccentric weight 21 produces a mechanical vibration of-the entire apparatus, including the outer housing-or casing Ill.

The vibrations imparted to the housing l0 are transmitted to a plurality of rollers 29, 30, which are preferably made of relatively soft rubber, or rubber-like, material. As disclosed, a pair of aligned front rollers 29 are carried by the forward portion l 4 of the housing; while a pair of alignedrear rollers 36 are carried by the rearward por tion ll of the housing. The front rollers 29 are laterally separated or spaced from one another,

and are preferably in longitudinal alignment with the rear rollers 30, which are also laterally: spaced from one another.

Each roller 29, 30 is supported from its housing portion by a depending supporting leg or bracket 3i suitably secured to the housing l0. An axle 32, which may be in the form of a threaded member, is attached to each bracket 3|, as by threading it into a companion threaded hole 33 The axle extends through a bore in the bracket.

34 in the roller, which merges into an enlarged bore portion 35 capable of receiving the outer over the head 36 of the axle until the latter is received within the enlarged roller bore 35, as disclosed in Fig. 4. Each roller is of relatively In rotatably assembling the roller to the and the housing [0. be of suflicient length (say several feet) to enable side of the device, these bars being disposed adjacent the exterior of the outer housing 10, to

provide sufficient space for the passage of a relatively wide strap or band S between the bars 40 This strap or band S can the person to grasp it in both hands and move the device on its rubber rollers 29, 30 along the persons body. As an example, the rollers may be applied to a persons back, whichmay be disposed in a relatively erect'or generally vertical position. The person grasps the ends of the strap 3 in front of his body and, by moving the strap u'p-and down, can cause the vibrating device to soft material, which will allow the rubber roller I to be stretched over the axle head 36, in order to position the roller in appropriate rolling relae tion upon the axle. However, any attempts to shift the roller outwardly will be resisted by engagementof the roller shoulder 31 with the inner surface 38 of the head 36.

Each roller 29, 30 is capable of rotating freely upon its companion axle 32. Inasmuch as there are four rollers provided, the apparatus can be rolled very readily along a persons body B. To facilitate such rolling, a generally'L-shaped handle 39 is secured to the forward portion M of the housing Ill, extending rearwardly therefrom, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1. This handle can be grasped by a persons hand H and the rollers 29, 30 of the device applied to the portion or portions of the persons body B to whicha vi-' bratory massaging effect is to be imparted. When current is supplied to the electric motor IS, the shaft 26 is rotated, which correspondingly Irevolves the unbalanced or eccentric weight 21, causing the casing It to vibrate, which vibration is transmitted through the brackets 31 and axles 32 to all of the rubber rollers 29, 30. These rollers, in turn, transmit the vibratory-motions to the portions of the persons body B with which they engage. During such vibration of the rollers 23,

30, the personcan easily move the device along the persons body, because of the freedom of rota tion that the rollers have upon their'respective axles 32. During such rotation, the rollers 29,

30 are being constantly vibrated, which enables a massaging action to be imparted to the persons body continually while the device is being moved therealong. It is unnecessary to remove the device from one portion of the persons body and then. reapply it to the same or another portion;

The arrangement of the rollers 29, 30 provides four spaced locations of simultaneous contact between the device andthe persons body B,:insuring a stable contacting relation withthe body, and requiring the person merely to move the device with very little effort. It is unnecesasry for the person to actually hold the device in a particular manner; so as to insure its appropriate correspondingly roll up and down the back, the

' vibrations due to the unbalanced weight 21 being transmitted .to the rubber rollers 29, 30 and imparted therethrough to the various regions of the back along which the device is rolled. The eng'agement of the strap S with the bars 40 insures the .proper contacting relation of the rollers against the persons back,or other portion of the body; whereas the side edges of the strap are engageable with the forward and rearward brackets 31, to insure theappropriate longitudinalmovement of the device along the persons body.

It is, accordingly, apparent that a vibratory massage device has been provided which is movablereadily over apersons body while the vibrationsare being transmitted thereto. The apparatus lends itself readily to holding directly in the hand, as by grasping the-handle H, or it can be manipulated indirectly, as by use of the strap S extending between the bars 40 and the vibratory j housing l0.

' Theinventor claims:

L'In a massage device: a housing; means in said housing .rotatable about a longitudinal axis for vibrating said housing; a pair of spaced brackets depending fromthe forward portion-of said housing; a pair of spaced brackets depending from the rearward portion of said housing; the brackets of eachpair beingdisposed on opposite sides of a vertical planeincluding the longitudinal axis of said vibrating means; an axle seeach axle having anouterhead thereon disposed within an enlarged bore in its companion roller to. retain said rolleron said axle.

.2..In a massage device: ahousing; a pair of spaced pliant, elastic rollers rotatably carried by application to the body. The fact that the rollers 29, 30 contact thebody at spaced points is f'suflicientin and. of itself to insure theproper relationship of the vibratory-device to the persons body.

, Although the handle 39 is provided .to enable the device to be grasped by the hand H for application to the persons body B, the roller are bars 40 may extend between and be suitably secured to the front and rear brackets 31 at each disposed on opposite sides of a central longitudinal vertical plane through .said housing; means carrieclby said housing for vibrating said rollers; and spaced members-securedto said housing to enable a strap to bedisposed betweensaid housing and members for the purpose of moving said rollers along a persons body.

3. In a mass-age device: a housing; meansin said housing rotatable about a longitudinal axis for vibrating. said housing; a pair of spaced brackets depending fromtheforward portion of said housing; a pair of spaced brackets depending from the rearward portion of said housing; the brackets of each pair being disposed on opposite sides of a vertical plane including the longitudinal axis of said vibrating means; .a pliant, elastic roller rotatably carried by each of said brackets; the axes of said rollers being substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said vibrating means; and a bar extending between and secured to each forward and rearward bracket; said bars being spaced from said housing to enable a strap to be placed between said bars and housing for moving said housing and rollers along a person's body.

4. In a massage device: an elongate housing; a plurality of spaced brackets depending from said housing; a plurality of pliant, elastic rollers rotatably carried by said brackets, said rollers being rotatable about axes generally parallel to one another; means rotatable within said housing for vibrating said housing, brackets and rollers; and means on and spaced below said housing for receiving a strap extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of said housing for moving said housing and rollers along a persons body.

CASPER J. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

